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Neuropsychology

How does the brain function? How does it interact with the body in order to control and mediate behaviors and actions? Though psychologists have long studied these questions, the workings of the brain remain, in large part, a mystery. In this course, we will explore the field of psychology devoted to the pursuit of these questions: neuropsychology or the study of the structure and function of the brain as it relates to psychological processes. We will study significant findings in the field, noting that technological improvements have often enabled substantial advancements in field research. You may, for example, take MRIs or PET scans – devices used to diagnose medical problems – for granted, but these have only relatively recently enabled researchers to study the brain in greater detail.

While a formal background in biology is not required for this course, you will find that neuropsychology relies heavily on the discipline. In fact, psychologists and biologists have often explored similar issues, though typically from vastly different perspectives. Accordingly, you may find supplemental biology materials useful if you are entirely unfamiliar with the brain and the nervous system.

This course will begin with a brief history of neuropsychology. We will then study the nervous system and the structure of the brain, identifying its different lobes and cortices, before concluding with a discussion of how the brain provides us with higher functioning abilities (i.e., learning, remembering, and communicating).

Although neurospsychology is relatively new as a formal discipline, the brain and its mysterious functioning have prompted study and investigation since ancient Greece. It is only recently, however, that we have begun to study the brain scientifically. This unit will review the origins of neuropsychology as a scientific practice and introduce its principal concepts and theories.

Instructions: Read this article to learn about how early philosophical works handled the problem of knowledge, or epistemology, especially proving that knowledge is possible. Read about fundamental philosophers such as the Sophists, Plato, and Socrates, and apply that foundation to the distinction between Aristotle and Descartes. Note Aristotle’s view that all things are a combination of form and matter and understanding how physical things change is just as important as their essence vs. Descartes’ view that knowledge is subjective and the focus should be on internal thoughts instead of the external world. Key concepts such as a priori, dialectical, sophistical, foundationalism, and internalism will help distinguish between Aristotle and Descartes’ views.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. Click the links on the left to view all five (5) sections. Note that some sections have more than one screen (see the right-pointing triangle at the lower right).

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read the entire main text. NOTE: This reading applies to subsections 1.3.3 and 1.3.4.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

1.3.4 Connections Between Neurons and Learning

Unit 2: The Organization of the Nervous System

The structure of the nervous system is extremely complex, in part because we have had to devise ways to refer to specific parts of it while excluding others, which has led to complicated naming conventions and systems of reference. For example, a psychologist may want to discuss a certain area of the brain independently of the rest of the brain – and then discuss it in reference to another part of the brain – and experts have devised distinct ways to reference both. In this unit, we will discuss the structure of the nervous system by taking a look at its subsystems and identifying the ways in which they connect to one another. Though you may find this unit dense and jargon-heavy, you will need to be familiar with the terminology introduced here throughout the remainder of the course.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. Click each of the links in turn to view illustrations of the basic anatomical directions and sections. NOTE: This resource applies to subsections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Read this article to learn about spinal nerves, including minute anatomical structures and physiological processes. Note the function and physiology of spinal nerves working as a whole and the impact this has on major bodily structures such as limbs and organs.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. From the menu near the top, choose “Forebrain,” then “Midbrain,” and then “Hindbrain,” and read the descriptions of these three important brain regions. NOTE: This resource applies to all of subsection 2.4.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read the entire main text. Use the links on the left in the box labeled “More maps of the brain” to see more detailed views of brain structures. Roll your mouse over the brain images to view labels for the different brain areas.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read the entire main text. Use the links on the left in the box labeled “More maps of the brain” to see more detailed views of brain structures. Roll your mouse over the brain images to view labels for the different brain areas.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read the entire main text. Use the links on the left in the box labeled “More maps of the brain” to see more detailed views of brain structures. Roll your mouse over the brain images to view labels for the different brain areas.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. Click the links on the left to view all four (4) sections. Note that some sections have more than one screen (see the right-pointing triangle at the lower right).

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Read this article to learn about the organization of the visual system, including the major anatomical components and the neuroanatomy of two major visual reflexes, the pupillary light reflex and the near response.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. Scroll down to near the bottom of the page where you will see two rows of three (3) brain images each. Click the first image in the bottom rowand start the video.

Watching this video should take approximately 3 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Unit 3: Neurons, Neurotransmitters, and Receptors

Now that you are familiar with the structure of the brain, you will learn how it works. We will begin with tbe building blocks of brain functionality: neurons, or brain cells responsible for the transmission of information from one cell to another. We will then take a look at how cells in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system function in order to better understand the way in which information is transmitted throughout our bodies. You will also learn how electrical activity enables the transmission of neural information, discussing the roles that neurotransmitters and receptors play in this process.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. Click the links on the left to view all eleven (11) sections. Note that some sections have more than one screen (see theright-pointing triangle at the lower right). NOTE: This resource applies to subsections 3.3.1 through 3.3.7.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

3.3.1 What is a Neurotransmitter?

3.3.2 Synaptic Structure: The Gaps in Transmission

3.3.3 The Types of Synapses

3.3.4 Neurotransmitter Storage and Synthesis

3.3.5 The Release of Neurotransmitters into the Synapse

3.3.6 Neurotransmitters and Receptors: A Perfect Match

3.3.7 Transmission in the Central Nervous System vs. Transmission in the Peripheral Nervous System

3.3.8 How to Stop Neurotransmission: The Deactivation of a Neurotransmitter

This unit will focus on the different brain technologies and techniques that have been developed to facilitate the study of brain functioning. You will learn that the development of these technologies (which include MRIs, PETs, and EEGs) has greatly advanced the field of neuropsychology, enabling researchers to collect crucial and groundbreaking information about the brain and its processes.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage. Click the links on the right for each of the five (5) brain scanning technologies, in turn. Follow the links on each subsequent page. NOTE: This resource applies to subsections 4.1.1 through 4.1.5.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage and start the video.

Watching this video should take approximately 3 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.

This unit will explore the sensory system, a part of the nervous system that enables us to receive stimuli from the environment around us and conduct this information to the brain for processing.The sensory system enables us to taste, smell, hear, feel, and see sensory stimuli – and without these functions, we would have minimal interaction with the world around us.As such, our sensory systems are integral to daily functioning. This unit will introduce you to each of the different sensory systems, identifying the organization, function, and methods of information transduction for each.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage. The animation has eight (8) parts. You may skip directly to part #5 and watch parts #5 - #8. Alternatively, watch all eight (8) parts for an excellent review of the structure of the eye.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above document and webpage.

Instructions: Click the text link for “Chapter 10: Fundamentals of Audition” and save the PDF document called “Chapter10.pdf” to your computer. Read pages #2 to #5. NOTE: This document is in a continuous state of updating. Ignore the internal notes, such as “[need illustration here],” for example. Most of the referenced figures are included at the end of the document; it is okay if not all the figures are available.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage and document.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage and start the video.

Watching this video should take approximately 3 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.

Instructions: Click the link above and scroll down to Lederman, S. J., & Klatzky, R. L. (2009): Haptic perception: A tutorial. Open the PDF document. We recommend that you save the document to your computer. Be sure to read the entire document.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage and document.

Instructions: Read this article to learn about the somatosensory system, including the general organization of neuronal structure and processing, somatosensory pathways, and mapping primary areas. Note tactile and proprioceptive sensations and the anatomical and physiological influences behind each.

Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage and then read the main text. In addition, click the “Taste Animation” link and flip through the animation using the yellow, right-pointing triangle.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Click the link above to open the webpage, and find the text/link called “Taste” (third section from the top of the page). Open or download this PowerPoint document and view all the slides.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above document and webpage.

Instructions: Click the link above to open the webpage, and find the text/link called “Olfactory” (third section from the top of the page). Open or download this PowerPoint document and view all the slides.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above document and webpage.

Unit 6: The Motor System

Physical movement of any sort is a complex act requiring the seamless coordination of multiple body systems. Considering the millions of ways in which your body moves on a daily basis, the motor system may well be one of the most complex systems in the body. In this unit, we will study this system, exploring the ways it controls different movements and identifying the areas of the brain that participate in that process.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and then read the entire page. NOTE: This resource applies to all of section 6.4.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

6.4.1 Corticospinal-Tract Pathway

6.4.2 Lateral vs. Ventral Corticospinal Pathway

6.4.3 Motor Neurons and their Connections

6.4.4 Contralateral Connections and Control

Unit 7: Cerebral Asymmetry

You may know that the brain is comprised of two hemispheres, the left and the right. You may not know that these two sides function independently of each other in certain ways. Though we are not fully aware of the reasons for this asymmetry, psychologists believe that an understanding of the laterallyspecific functions that each performs will further assist us in our quest to know how the brain controls certain behaviors. When we use the term “laterallyspecific,” we refer to those functions controlled by only one hemisphere. For example, we know that the left hemisphere fully controls the exercise of language. However, information generated by laterallyspecific functions is often shared with the other hemisphere. In fact, we frequently need the hemispheres to exchange laterallyspecific information in order to react appropriately. This unit will discuss these and other matters pertaining to the hemispheres and their respective functions.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage. Near the top of the page, find the section titled “General Reading” and click the “Brain Asymmetry” link to open the Word document. We recommend that you save the document to your computer. Read from the start of the document through (and including) Section #3. NOTE: This resource applies to all of subsection 7.1.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Click the link above, scroll down to click on the “Brain Asymmetry” link, and open the Word document. We recommend that you save the document to your computer. Read Section #4. NOTE: This resource applies to all of subsection 7.2.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Click the link above and open the PDF document. We recommend that you save the document to your computer. Be sure to read the entire document. NOTE: This resource applies to all of subsection 7.4.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

For the purposes of study, neuropsychologists have divided our brains not only into hemispheres but different “lobes” or areas of the brain that control specific functions or groups of functions. By understanding the brain as a set of lobes, psychologists are able to more effectively discuss patients that have suffered damage to particular areas of the brain. This is because when apersonsustains damage to an individual lobe, he or she will often suffer damage to a specific system of the body, like the visual or motor system. This unit will present each of the lobes and their respective functions and anatomies, identifying common symptoms that arise when a lobe suffers damage.

While there are many areas of neuropsychology that remain unexplained, we know shockingly little about the brain’s ability to control our higher functions or abilities like learning, memory, language, emotion, and consciousness. While psychologists classify these abilities as “nonessential,” since, unlike abilities like breathing or eating, we do not need them in order to survive, they remain important to our well-being. This final unit will focus on the different ways in which the brain controls these behaviors, identifying the problems that result when these behaviors are not performed.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and open the PDF Role of peririhinal cortex in objective perception, memory, and associations Current Opinion in Neurobiology 11. We recommend that you save the document to your computer. Be sure to read the entire document.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpageand open the PDF titled Models of brain asymmetry in emotional processing under the heading BEHAVIOR/SYSTEMS/COGNITION. We recommend that you save the document to your computer. Be sure to read the entire document.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.

Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.